The man on the dragon throne

Three weeks later, the emperor summon Banou and Lady Peng into the palace. They arrive in the palace in later autumn. The royal garden flowers are withering and the wind is getting chilly. They walk into the hall of beauty and waited to be summon inside. They waited for twenty minutes and the eunuch come walking out to invite them in. Inside the hall is warm and cosy. The emperor is siting on his desk playing chess game. They bow and greet him. Banou remember when he was coronated, he was a bright young man but today he look older and tired. He smile looking at the ladies. He wave to Lady Peng, she walk towards him with care. He reach out to take her hands. 

"Have you been doing some manual work in Li Cheng's mansion? Your hands are rough!"

"You majesty, no i never have to lift a finger. I practise my GuZhen a lot. There is nothing much to do in the mansion." 

"Really? I hope my sister-in-law does not think you are a slave. You are just a bed warmer that is the only job you should do." 

"Majesty..."

He laugh and get up from his seat. Lady Peng help him up as he walk towards Banou. Now she is looking at him face to face, is rather awkward with silence. She look down as not to stare at him. 

"Am I not good looking as my brothers?"

"Your majesty, you are the son of the dragon. Always majestic in the eye of others."

"Am i? What about you Consort Princess?"

"I am just a common flower on the road side. There are plenty of other flowers to look at."

"Road side flower... humph i doubt so. You alone can make my two brothers fight for you. How can a road side flower do that."

He hold Lady Peng shoulder and walk to behind the screen. Banou hear the sound of kissing. She dare not look and want to walk away but the head eunuch signal her to remain where she is. He have witness a lot of time when the emperor have conversations halfway he did something else. When he returns he expect to continue the conversations. Banou stands there uneasy as she hear the sound of a man sighing and a woman gagging. From the side of screen, the eunuch can see that the emperor is engaging in sex right now. He sight and look at the Consort Princes who is looking somewhere else. After a long time the sound stop and he call for the eunuch to bring him some water. They hurry to bring in a golden basin of water to clean the emperor and later another to clean Lady Peng by using his finger to dig the white liquid out. Once everything leak out, the emperor is satisfy. Banou continue to wait till the emperor appears. He look fresher when he walk out of the screen. He smile and walk around Banou. 

"I heard that many years ago when my father was alive. You try to deny your identity as the princess from Persia. You only stop denying when they identify the tattoo that was cut into your skin."

"That was... so long ago." 

"You know i am curiosity how it looks like. Regrettable that day i was out in the camp. When i heard that i thought i should be there in court to watch the story unfold. How a sex slave become a royal princess adviser now. Can you show me your tattoo? I would like to learn that too. So that i know which child is mine in the future if it happens to me."

Banou is holding her anger but she cannot get angry here in this palace. She might not return if she do that. She look at the emperor and smile. 

"The present moon tattoo is on my feet." 

"Then sit and show me." 

The eunuch pull a chair up and put it near Banou so that she can sit. She begin to sweat and her heart is pounding. She carefully sit down and remove her Persian shoe which have the crescent moon on. She lift her leg high enough for him to see. He squint his eyes then move nearer. He touch the tattoo. His finger feels icy cold. With his cold eyes, he stare at her face. His hands grab her leg and touch it. "Smooth like jade, warm like fire. Is this what you are made from Consort Princess Ban Nu?"

His hands reach into her skirt. She dare not move. She fear for her family life more than she fear for her own. He linger on her under pants and smell her leg. 

"Smell like rose... is this the road side flower you are talking about?"

"Your majesty, please remember... my husband is your brother." 

"Is that so? Is this how you make my brothers fight over you? They ..."

Before she can complete her sentence the eunuch outside announce that the Dowager is approaching and entering the hall. Banou quickly sit up and slip in her shoes. They all bow to the Dowager. Lady Peng who is standing beside the screen tremble in fear. The Dowager who is older now look at Banou. 

"You haven't been in the palace for a long time, Consort Princess."

"Yes your highness. It's a blessing to be summon into the palace by his majesty." 

She look at him and his is trying to hold his anger. His nose is flaring as if he is breathing fire now. He look at her with his cold eyes, she knows that today she have escape but she doesn't know when is the next one. Will she be lucky like today. 

Meanwhile the Dowager who roughly knows what is going on is determine to stop what her son is doing. Thus she brings Banou to her residence and keep her there till it's time to return back to her mansion. She watch her son's wife sit on the carriage to return home. She turn around and look at the eunuch. 

"Tell me, what else have the emperor have been doing lately?"

He bow to the Dowager as the cold wind blows into this palace. This winter will be harsh and bitter.